For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given. Isaiah 9:6
The power of Jesus’ coming is not diminished in the manner of His appearance, but rather reveals it. As Isaiah prophesied, a child was born but a Son was given. I thought this passage was communicating the same thing twice, but maybe not. The Son was not born – He already was, He always was. But He came in the form of a vulnerable baby that arrived to save us.
Rick Warren said that He came as a child so that He couldn’t scare us. Interesting thought. He allowed Himself to arrive dependent and weak and to experience all the things that we do. This Child grew in a family and was known by His community. He was approachable, even crucifiable. A baby was born to Mary but this Child was here for us.
The Son was given to us. God gave His Son, a powerful gift in order to be with us. He was limited to a fleshly body and handed over to pay the price for our sin so that we might have life with Him.
Father God loves us so much He gave up His Son so that we might live – the Son that existed in the beginning. And He came in the form of a Child that was born.
Next time – He will come in power and glory and authority. But we celebrate now a Son that was given us for our salvation. We celebrate a child – the Child – that was born.
… and they will call Him Immanuel" (which means, "God with us")
